The importance of metals in biology, the environment and medicine has become increasingly evident over the last twenty five years. The study of the multiple roles of metal ions in biological systems, the rapidly expanding interface between inorganic chemistry and biology constitutes the subject called Biological Inorganic Chemistry. The present text, written by a biochemist, with a long career experience in the field (particularly iron and copper) presents an introduction to this exciting and dynamic field. The book begins with introductory chapters, which together constitute an overview of the concepts, both chemical and biological, which are required to equip the reader for the detailed analysis which follows. Pathways of metal assimilation, storage and transport, as well as metal homeostasis are dealt with next. Thereafter, individual chapters discuss the roles of sodium and potassium, magnesium, calcium, zinc, iron, copper, nickel and cobalt, manganese, and finally molybdenum, vanadium, tungsten and chromium. The final three chapters provide a tantalising view of the roles of metals in brain function, biomineralization and a brief illustration of their importance in both medicine and the environment.Relaxed and agreeable writing style. The reader will not only fiind the book easy to read, the fascinating anecdotes and footnotes will give him pegs to hang important ideas on.Written by a biochemist. Will enable the reader to more readily grasp the biological and clinical relevance of the subject.Many colour illustrations. Enables easier visualization of molecular mechanismsWritten by a single author. Ensures homgeneity of style and effective cross referencing between chapters

Excerpt from An Introduction to the Study of Biological Chemistry IN the following pages no attempt has been made to deal with more than one part of the study of biological chemistry - namely, that concerned with the structure of materials of which the bodies of living objects are composed. In many parts this book does not differ markedly from an elementary text - book on organic chemistry. Certain subjects, however - such as, for example, the aromatic derivatives - have been dealt with very brie y, whereas the treatment of other subjects - such as the carbohydrates and proteins, which are of great importance to the physiologist - has been expanded beyond the limits which are usual in an elemen tary text-book. Furthermore, an attempt has been made to indicate the methods by means of which the branch of chemical science known as organic chemistry may be applied to biological research. It is hoped that a book in this form may, when the study of it is supplemented by practical exercises carried out in the laboratory, prove of use to students of medicine and of biology generally. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works."

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